# Incident 20240408003089I: Eurocopter Deutschland Gmbh MBB-BK 117 C-2, Odenton, MD, April 8, 2024

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 8, 2024, 21:20 local time
- Place: Odenton, MD
- Airport: Tipton
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: E3MA
- Location: 39.0663° N, 76.6938° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Odenton, MD, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.0663&lon=-76.6938&mi=10
- Aircraft: N522ME, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N522ME) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Eurocopter Deutschland MBB-BK 117 C-2 (registry code 5626002, https://openairdocs.org/model/eurocopter-deutschland-mbb-bk-117-c-2) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Turbomeca ARRIEL-1E2 (registry code 60035, https://openairdocs.org/engine/turbomeca-arriel-1e2) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: EUROCOPTER DEUTSCHLAND GMBH MBB-BK 117 C-2
- Reported engine: TURBOMECA ARRIEL 1E2
- People aboard: 3
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 1
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 3,507 total
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20240408003089I

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

ON APRIL 8, 2024, AT APPROXIMATELY 2100 EDT, WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT, FOLLOWING TAKEOFF FROM GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL HELIPORT (24DC), LOCATED IN WASHINGTON DC., STAT MEDEVAC 10, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ AN AIRBUS BK117-C2 HELICOPTER, WAS INVOLVED IN A SIGNIFICANT BIRD STRIKE. THE PILOT REPORTED AT LEAST FIVE DUCKS STRUCK THE AIRCRAFT, IMPACTING THE PILOT SIDE WINDSCREEN, RIGHT HAND TRANSMISSION OIL COOLER, MAIN ROTOR, AND FUSELAGE.  THE WINDSCREEN WAS PENETRATED, AND THE PILOT RECEIVED A MINOR INJURY TO HIS FINGER. TWO MEDICAL CREWMEMBERS WERE ALSO ON BOARD AND WERE UNINJURED.  THE PILOT INITIATED AN EMERGENCY LANDING AT TIPTON AIRPORT (KFME) LOCATED IN FORT MEADE, MARYLAND.  HELICOPTER ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS AT APPROXIMATELY 800-FEET AGL WHEN THE BIRD STRIKE OCCURRED.  THE WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE VFR WITH CALM WINDS AT THE TIME OF THE FLIGHT.  THE PILOT WAS TRANSPORTED TO JOHNS HOPKINS HOSPITAL VIA STAT MEDEVAC 13, WAS TREATED FOR HIS INJURY AND RELEASED.  THE STAT MEDEVAC MAINTENANCE TEAM RELOCATED ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ TO A HANGAR AT TIPTON AIRPORT TO PERFORM THE INSPECTION AND REPAIR PROCESS.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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